Post-Thanksgiving Fiscal Cliffhangers

Nov. 21, 2012

Page 8 of 8

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: WHERE THINGS STOOD, WHERE THEY STAND. Depending on how you count it up, Democrats technically gained more than seven seats. They entered the 2012 elections holding 190 House seats, and next year they'll hold 200 or 201. But due to three vacancies in Democrat-held seats, the party is currently counting its wins at eight seats (including Rep. Mike McIntyre, who has declared victory in North Carolina and will face a recount). Thanks to a quirky election in Michigan, where the 11th District split its party vote in its regular election and a special election to fill former Rep. Thaddeus McCotter's seat, Democrat Dave Curson will hold the seat until the end of the year, when it's taken over by Republican Kerry Bentivolio when the 113th Congress is sworn in. That seat could be meaningful, as the Democrat Curson, not the Republican Bentivolio, would vote on any fiscal-cliff deal put forth in Congress's lame-duck session. Next year, the House figures to have 200 or 201 Democrats and 234 Republicans. More on the quirky results in Michigan from the Detroit Free Press: http://on.freep.com/TPyK0n